Primary closure

ABSTRACT

A primary closure is permanently locked to the neck of a container in sealing relationship by means of the interlock between a continuous flange or bead on the neck of the container being engaged by ears on the collar or skirt of the primary closure. The primary closure body is sealed to the container by engagement between a resiliently mounted bead on the closure body engaging in axially loaded condition against the lip on the end of the neck of the container.

United States Patent [191 Fields [4 1 Sept. 23, 1975 PRIMARY CLOSURE[76] Inventor: Mack Robert Fields, 1624-2 Lake Dr., Clearwater, Fla.33516 22 Filed: Nov. 15, 1973 21 Appl. No.: 416,004

[52] US. Cl. 215/317; 215/321; 215/344 [51] Int. Cl. B65D 41/16; B65D41/18 [58] Field of Search 215/9, 224, 225, DIG. 1,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 12/1964 Healy 2l5/DIG. l6/1974 Costa 215/9 Primary Examiner-George T. Hall Attorney, Agent, orFirm-Hofgren, Wegner, Allen, Stellman & McCord [57] ABSTRACT A primaryclosure is permanently locked to the neck of a container in sealingrelationship by means of the interlock between a continuous flange 0rbead on the neck of the container being engaged by ears on the collar orskirt of the primary closure. The primary closure body is sealed to thecontainer by engagement between a resiliently mounted bead on theclosure body engaging in axially loaded condition against the lip on theend of the neck of thecontainer.

5 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures PRIMARY CLOSURE BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION 1. Field of the Invention v This invention relates to theclosure field and more particularly to the safety closure field whereinthere is provided a structure for substantially preventingremoval of theprimary closure from the container and at the same time resilientlysealing the primary closureto the container.

2. Description of the Prior Art Many products are provided in bothplastic or glass containers with primary closures that screw onto theneck surrounding the opening in the container. A secondary closure isprovidedon the primary closure for sealing a spout or similar restrictedopening in the primary closure. Some of the containers areus ed to storematerials that may be potentially dangerous to certain classificationsof people, such as children, who might be injured upon contact with orexposure to materials, such as liquid detergents, medicaments, poisons,such as drain cleaners, and the like. J

Although legislation has been passed requiring the use of safetyclosures on containers of potentially dangerous materials, the moststress has been placed on secondary closure arrangements for use on theusual dispensing spout to prevent ready access to the contents of thecontainer, but littleeffort has been expended to produce a connectionbetween the primary closure and the container that not only isconsidered safe, but also is capable of sealing the container againstleaks. 1

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In many industries using glass or plasticbottles or containers, it is necessary that the bottle or container havea fairly sizable opening through the-neck into the bottle or containerfor efficient and rapid filling of the bottle. To reduce the size of thefilling opening to a reasonably sized spout, a primary closure ,isprovided which engages the neck around the sizable opening and includesa reduced size dispensing spout which is closed by a secondaryclosure.--A flange is provided around the neck of the bottle to whichappropriate ears on the inside of the depending collar of the primaryclosure engage for locking the primary closure to the neck of the bottleor container. A resilientlysupported bead or seal ring formed on the topwall of the primary closure has a constant spring loading effect forurging the bead against the end wall or lip of the opening in the bottleor container when the ears on the primary vclosure engage with theflange on the neck of the bottle or container. Any attempt to twist theprimary closure from the bottle or container will result in the'primaryclosure rotating relative to the bottle or container but it will notseparate therefrom and the contents cannot leak between the primaryclosure and the container.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The details of construction andoperation of the in vention are more fully described with reference tothe accompanying drawings which form a part hereof and in which likereference numerals refer to like parts throughout.

In the drawings:

FIG. '1 is a perspective view of a primary closure fastened to acontainer using my improved nonremovable attachment;

FIG. '2 is a cross-sectional view of a preferred form of my inventiontaken on the line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG.- 3 is an enlarged partial cross-sectional view, similar'to FIG; 2,only showing a modified version of my non-removable primary closure;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the primary closure 'looking in'the'direction of section lines 44 of FIG. 2

and illustrated prior to and after assembly with the bottle orcontainer;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view looking in the direction of sectionlines 55 of FIG. 2 with the primary closure skirt momentarily deformedat point of maximum interference of the bead overriding the flange;

FIG. 6 is a top view of a modified form of primary closurefwith aportion of the primary closure broken away;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged partial cross-sectional view of one form of myinvention with a die pin shown in phantorn; and

FIG. 8 is a modified form of my invention showing a modified sealing webstructure and stiffening ribs on theclosure skirt.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring in particular to thedrawings, a primary closure 10 is illustrated as having a collar orskirt portion 12 integrally joined to a transversely disposed top wall14 to which a secondary closure or overcap 16 is hingedly connected bymeans of a hinge 18. The top wall 14 has an outlet spout l9 (partiallyshown) with an opening passing axially therethrough into communicationwith the inside of a container or bottle 20.

The secondary closure or overcap 16 is provided with means for closingand sealing the spout and includes child-proof or child-safe means 22for preventing ready access to the contents of the container except byan adult manipulation. Any child-proof or child-safe secondaryclosure'for sealing the spout can be incorpo- To accomplish a nonfoamingfill, as wide an opening in the container as is possible is providedinto which a filling nib or tube is inserted and, as filling progresses,the nib is withdrawn. Heretofore, when the container was filled, theprimary closure was then threaded onto the neck of the container. Forcomplete child-proofing or safety sealing, not only must themanipulation of the secondary closure or overcap 16 be child-proofed,but also a means must be provided for preventing removal of the primaryclosure 10 from the container and various versionsof such a means areshown in FIGS. 2-8. The container 20 has a flat planar annular lip 28formed around the mouth or opening 26 of the neck 24 and has acontinuous outwardly projecting circular flange 30 formed around theoutside wall of said neck in axially spaced relation to said lip 28. Theflange 30 has a tapered top surface 32 and a relatively flat bottom orledge 34 facing away from and lying substantially parallel to said lip28.

As shown in FIG. 2, the top wall portion 14 of the primary closure hasan annular channel 36 in the top surface concentrically disposedrelative to the outer peripheral edge portion of the top wall 14 inrelatively close proximity to said outer edge. A mating channel 38 isformed in the bottom surface of said top wall in alignment with saidchannel 36. The sloping walls of the channels 36, 38 angle to a thinnedcentral web 40 from the bottom of which projects an annular sealing ringor bead 42 adapted to engage the lip 28 when said primary closure isassembled on said container 20. The collar or skirt 12 of the primaryclosure has formed on the inside surface 44 thereof, in close proximityto the bottom edge 46, either a continuous lug or car or a plurality ofcircumferentially spaced arcuate lugs or ears 48 projecting radiallyinward therefrom. When the material of the skirt of the primary closureis thicker or fairly rigid and a plurality of spaced lugs 48 are used,as shown in FIG. 4, the outer wall of the collar or skirt 12 is thinnedin the area between the lugs 48 by forming recesses 50 in the outer wallof said skirt which recess extends from the bottom edge of the skirt toan intermediate point part way up said outer wall and at least inoverlapping relationship with said lugs 48. The thinning of the skirtbetween the lugs 48 provides more resilient or weakened wall spans 52therebetween. The lugs or cars 48 may be substantially rounded or moundshaped in vertical cross-section as shown in FIG. 2 or may be arcuatelyshaped on the axial outward surface 54 and substantially flat on theaxially inward facing surface 56 as shown in FIG. 3. The rounded ormound shape of the lugs 48 of FIG. 2 can be made using the economicalcore stripping type molding process while the sharp edge, flat surface56 version of lugs 48 of FIG. 3 can be made using the collapsible coreprocess. In both FIGS. 2 and 3 forms, the axial outward surface 54 ofthe cars or lugs 48 is shaped to aid in camming the ears or lugs 48 pastthe tapered surface 32 of the flange 30. The flange 30 on the containerneck 24 can be made using a split shell blow-mold process when a sharpflat ledge 34 is desired or a core stripping type molding process can beused for a more rounded flange.

After the container is filled, the skirt 12 of the primary closure 10 istelescopcd over the neck 24 of the container with the surface 54 of thelugs 48 in engagement with the tapered surface 32 of the flange 30.Downward pressure on the primary closure 10 earns the ears 48 and skirtl2 outward against the limited resilient yield properties of said skirt12. The weakened wall spans 52 will permit temporary deformation of theskirt enough to permit the lugs 48 to snap past the rigid flange 30 withthe inner top surfaces of the lugs 48 engaging the flat bottom surface34 on the flange 30. The temporary deformed condition of the skirt 12 isportrayed in FIG. 5 at the time the lugs 48 move in behind the flange30. The top surfaces of the lugs 48 are urged upward against the flange30 by the resilience of the web 40 urging the bead 42 against the lip 28of the container 20. That is, the spacing between the inner surface ofthe lugs 48 and the contact point of the bead 42 is less than thedistance between the lip 28 and the flat surface 34 of the flange 30, sothat with the lugs 48 urged beneath the flange 30, the bead 42 willengage the lip 28 and form, not only a seal between the bead 42 and thelip 28, but also, a permanent attachment between the lugs 48 and theflange 30. After assembly of the primary closure to the container, thememory in the material of the skirt 12 restores the skirt to the shapeshown in FIG. 4 with the lugs 48 firmly nested below the flange 30,whereby the radial inward forces on the lugs 48 will prevent removal ofthe closure from the container. Simultaneously, the axial forces of thelugs 48 against the flange 30 and the bead 42 on the lip 28 locks theprimary closure to the container and deforms the web 40 into a permanentspring-loaded sealed position.

In FIG. 3, the lugs 48 have planar axially inward facing surfaces 56which are adapted in use to seat against the planar surface 34 of theflange 30 to provide a more positive locking between the flange and theears when in position. The version shown in FIG. 2 has the roundedradial inward facing surface on the lugs or cars 48 which, although notas positive in locking ability, are cheaper and simpler to make inproduction and will pass the tests required to qualify as child-proof.Although with sufficient force, the primary closure 10 can be rotatedrelative to the container, there is practically no way the two can beseparated without destruction of either the primary closure or thecontainer.

FIGS. 6 and 7 show a modified form of the invention including provisionfor an operative design allowing for practical and economical toolingfor molding the primary closure 10. That is, a plurality of openings areformed in the top wall 14 around the outer edge portion thereof outboardof the web 40. Aligned with each opening 70 is an ear or lug 72 having atapered axially, outwardly facing surface 74 and an axially, inwardlyfacing surface 76 which surface 76 will be substantially planar and willlie parallel to the top wall 14 of the closure. A molding die (notshown) is provided with a plurality of movable core pins 78, shown inphantom in FIG. 7, which pins 78 are manipulatable in such a way thatduring the molding of the primary closure, openings 70 will be molded inthe top wall 14 of the primary closure with the planar end faces of thecore pins 78 forming the planar surfaces 76 on the ears 72. The cars 72will be circumferentially spaced an amount equal to the spacing betweenthe openings 70 and will be in alignment with the openings 70. Theprimary closure 10 may be molded of high density plastic material whichhas a very low yield factor.

The primary closure 10 of FIGS. 6 and 7 can be assembled with the flange80 on the neck 82 of the container 84 in a manner substantiallyidentical to that described with respect to FIGS. 1 through 5. That is,the flange 80 is continuous around the neck of the container and has anoutwardly tapered surface 86 and a planar surface 87. The web 40 in thetop wall 14 has the bead 42 which is adapted to engage the planar endface or lip 28 on the neck of the container. The primary closure 10 istelescoped over the neck of the container 84 with the tapered surface 74on the cars 72 engaging with the tapered surface 86 on flange 80.Downward force on the primary closure will cam the ears 72 past theflange 80 whereupon the planar faces 76 on the ears 72 will beresiliently urged into contact with the continuous planar face 87 on thelower surface of the flange 80. The bead 42 will be resiliently urgedagainst the lip 28 on the neck of the container by means of theresilience of the web 40 in the top wall 14 at the same time that theplanar faces 76 and 87 of the ears and flange, respectively, engage witheach other to produce a positive latching arrangement which cannot beseparated without destruction of the collar portion of the primaryclosure.

FIG. 8 shows a modification of the web 40 and bead 42 structure togetherwith a modified and reinforced skirt portion of the closure.Specifically, the top wall 14 of the closure has a single recess 36formed in the upper surface thereof around the outer preipheral edgeportion to form the web 40 for supporting the bead 42 on the innersurface of said closure. On the outer surface of the collar or skirtportion 12 of the closure are formed a plurality of vertically disposed,equally spaced apart ribs 92 which extend from in alignment with the topwall 14 to a point just above the enlarged ears or lugs 96 formed on theinside of said collar or skirt 12. In assembling the closure of FIG. 8with the container, the ears 96 bear against the taper 101 of the flange103 and relative force between the closure and container stretches thecollar 12 in the vicinity of the lugs or ears 96 with the ribs 92reinforcing the balance of the collar to prevent distortion of the upperportion of the collar. Once the ears 96 snap past the high point of theflange 103, the material of the collar returns the collar to normal sizewith the bead 42 resiliently urged against the lip of the container. Theresilient urging of the bead is caused by the forces as describedhereinabove with respect to FIG. 2.

The ribs 92, since they terminate above the location of the ears 96,serve to reinforce the upper portion of the collar against deformation(bulge) when sufficient force is applied to the top of the closure toforce the ears 92 to override the flange. Although it is recognized, thebead to flange snap cap closures have been in common use for severalyears, basically the elements described herein matches the skirtstructure that embodies varied physical properties in order to respondto and withstand sizable forces applied to affect a strongnonretractable grip of the closure to the container.

The resiliently loaded beads 42 of FIGS. 2, 3, 7 and 8 form an importantelement of the closure lock to the container in a tightly sealed manner.That is, due to the dimensioning between the bead 42 and the slopedupper surface of the ears 48, 72 and 96, the bead 42 is resilientlyurged against the lip 28 of the container in a sealed relationship. Therecesses 36 and/or 38 provide the web 40 with the resilience needed, butat the same time prevents distortion of the top wall 14 of the closure.Heretofore, closures that were screwed or torqued Onto threaded necks ofcontainers, had seals on the inner surface of the closure that engagedwith the lip of the container. Generally to tightly seal the closure onthe container, the closure was overthreaded or overtorqued so that thetop wall of the closure became distorted or bulged clue to theinterference fit. Where the top wall of the closure has elements used ineffecting a secondary sealing operation such as illustrated in FIG. 1with the cap 16, any distortion of the top wall will misalign elementssuch as the upstanding latching posts preventing the secondary sealingoperation from being effective. Using the recesses 36 and/or 38 and bead42 prevents distortion of the top wall 14 and thereby permits thesecondary sealing operation to function. The web 40 absorbs thedeformation forces and thereby prevents interference with the flatnessof the top wall 14 of the closure.

I claim:

1. A safety attachment for a primary closure to a container having aneck portion with an axially facing planar lip, said neck portion havinga flange spaced axially from said lip, said primary closure having a topwall portion and a depending skirt portion, said wall portion having aresilient web formed by a recess in one of the surfaces around theperipheral portion thereof, a depending bead formed on said web andprojecting axially into the open area within the confines of said skirtportion and adapted to be aligned with said lip on said container, meanson the inside surface of said skirt portion whereby said closure ispermanently affixed to said container by forcing said means past saidflange on said neck of the container so that said means lock below theflange and the web is deformed as it urges said bead into sealingrelation with said lip on said container.

2. A safety attachment for a primary closure as claimed in claim 1wherein said lug means on the inside surface of the skirt portionincludes at least two circumferentially spaced apart portions with saidskirt portion having reduced thickness between said spaced apartportions which reduced thickness portions temporarily deform during theforcing of the lug means past the flange.

3. A safety attachment as claimed in claim 1 wherein said flange has atapered upper surface for camming said means past said flange and saidflange has a flat planar lower surface for positively locking said meanson said closure axially beyond said flange, and the spacing between saidlip and the axially remote surface of said flange on said container isslightly greater than the spacing between the bead on said web andaxially facing surfaces on said means so that the means and bead arecompressed axially against the flange and the lip, respectively, of saidcontainer.

4. A safety attachment for a primary closure to a container having aneck portion with an axially facing planar lip, said neck portion havinga continuous flange therearound and spaced axially from said lip, saidprimary closure having a wall portion and a depending skirt portion,said wall portion having a resilient web formed by a pair of matingannular recesses in the upper and lower surfaces thereof around theouter peripheral portion thereof, a depending bead formed on said weband projecting axially into the open area within the confines of saidskirt portion and adapted to be aligned with said lip on said container,lug means radially projecting from the inside surface of said skirtportion, whereby said closure is permanently affixed to said containerby forcing said lug means past said flange on said neck of the containerso that the lug means lock below the flange and the web is deformed asit urges said bead into sealing relation with said lip on saidcontainer.

5. A safety attachment as claimed in claim 4 wherein said flange has atapered upper surface for camming said lug means past said flange andsaid flange has a flat planar lower surface for positively locking saidlug means axially beyond said flange, and the spacing between said lipand the axially remote surface of said flange on said container isslightly greater than the spacing between the bead on said web and theaxially inward facing surfaces on said lug means so that the lug meansand bead are compressed axially against the flange and the lip,respectively, of said container.

1. A safety attachment for a primary closure to a container having aneck portion with an axially facing planar lip, said neck portion havinga flange spaced axially from said lip, said primary closure having a topwall portion and a depending skirt portion, said wall portion having aresilient web formed by a recess in one of the surfaces around theperipheral portion thereof, a depending bead formed on said web andprojecting axially into the open area within the confines of said skirtportion and adapted to be aligned with said lip on said container, meanson the inside surface of said skirt portion whereby said closure ispermanently affixed to said container by forcing said means past saidflange on said neck of the container so that said means lock below theflange and the web is deformed as it urges said bead into sealingrelation with said lip on said container.
 2. A safety attachment for aprimary closure as claimed in claim 1 wherein said lug means on theinside surface of the skirt portion includes at least twocircumferentially spaced apart portions with said skirt portion havingreduced thickness between said spaced apart portions which reducedthickness portions temporarily deform during the forcing of the lugmeans past the flange.
 3. A safety attachment as claimed in claim 1wherein said flange has a tapered upper surface for camming said meanspast said flange and said flange has a flat planar lower surface forpositively locking said means on said closure axially beyond saidflange, and the spacing between said lip and the axially remote surfaceof said flange on said container is slightly greater than the spacingbetween the bead on said web and axially facing surfaces on said meansso that the means and bead are compressed axially against the flange andthe lip, respectively, of said container.
 4. A safety attachment for aprimary closure to a container havIng a neck portion with an axiallyfacing planar lip, said neck portion having a continuous flangetherearound and spaced axially from said lip, said primary closurehaving a wall portion and a depending skirt portion, said wall portionhaving a resilient web formed by a pair of mating annular recesses inthe upper and lower surfaces thereof around the outer peripheral portionthereof, a depending bead formed on said web and projecting axially intothe open area within the confines of said skirt portion and adapted tobe aligned with said lip on said container, lug means radiallyprojecting from the inside surface of said skirt portion, whereby saidclosure is permanently affixed to said container by forcing said lugmeans past said flange on said neck of the container so that the lugmeans lock below the flange and the web is deformed as it urges saidbead into sealing relation with said lip on said container.
 5. A safetyattachment as claimed in claim 4 wherein said flange has a tapered uppersurface for camming said lug means past said flange and said flange hasa flat planar lower surface for positively locking said lug meansaxially beyond said flange, and the spacing between said lip and theaxially remote surface of said flange on said container is slightlygreater than the spacing between the bead on said web and the axiallyinward facing surfaces on said lug means so that the lug means and beadare compressed axially against the flange and the lip, respectively, ofsaid container.